Hospitals directed no Covid-19 patient be refused admission for lack of valid ID, Centre tells SC

All central and state government hospitals managing Covid19 patients have been directed to ensure that no patient is refused admission due to lack of a valid identity card and a positive test report for coronavirus the Centre has told the Supreme CourtIn an affidavit on the points raised by the top court the Centre submitted that the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has intimated all state governments regarding the policy of setting up threetier Health infrastructure for appropriate management of suspect confirmed Covid19 casesAs the vaccination of the entire country is not possible in one stretch due to the very suddenness of the pandemic and limited availability of vaccine doses the vulnerability is the prime consideration it saidThe Centres affidavit was submitted late Sunday night in a suo motu case by the apex court for ensuring essential supplies and services during the Covid19 pandemicIt further said that the guidance document issued in this regard on April 7 2020 envisagesmandates setting up of Covid19 Care Centre CCC for mild cases and these have been set up in hostels hotels schools stadiums and lodges both public and privateFunctional hospitals like Community Health Centres CHCs etc which may be handling regular nonCovid19 cases may also be designated as Covid19 Care Centres as a last resort Dedicated Covid19 Health Centre DCHC that shall offer care for all cases that have been clinically assigned as moderateThese should either be a full hospital or a separate block in a hospital with preferably separate entryexitzoning Private hospitals may also be designated as Covid19 Dedicated Health Centres These hospitals would have beds with assured Oxygen support the Centre saidIt said that a dedicated Covid19 hospital shall offer comprehensive care primarily for those who have been clinically assigned as severeThese hospitals should either be a full hospital or a separate block in a hospital with preferably separate entryexit Private hospitals may also be designated as Covid19 Dedicated Hospitals These hospitals would have fully equipped ICUs Ventilators and beds with assured Oxygen support it saidThe Centre further said It is submitted that the Central Government has also directed that the hospitals under the Central Government State Governments and Union territory administrations including private hospitals in States and UTs managing Covid19 patients shall ensure Requirement of a positive test for Covid19 virus is not mandatory for admission to a Covid19 health facility if clinically hospitalisation is necessary otherwiseA suspect case shall be admitted to the suspect ward of CCC DCHC or DHC as the case may be No Patient will be refused services on any count This includes medications such as oxygen or essential drugs even if the patient belongs to a different city No patient shall be refused admission on the ground that heshe is not able to produce a valid identity card that does not belong to the city where the hospital is locatedThe government told the apex court that admissions to the hospital must be based on need and it should be ensured that beds are not occupied by persons who do not need hospitalisationThe Chief Secretaries of StatesUnion Territories have been requested to issue circulars incorporating the above directions within three days which shall be in force till replaced by an appropriate uniform policyThe Centre also submitted that Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has written to all the Additional Chief SecretaryPrincipal Secretary HealthMedical education of all States and UTs to provide for extraordinary measures to augment the need of medical staff in the country the bench saidIn view of the need for increasing the availability of trained human resources to tackle the Covid19 pandemic situation the guidelines and directions have been issued in consultation with the National Medical Commission and the Indian Nursing Council the Centre saidIt is submitted that depending upon the progress in this direction the Central Government shall consider other incentives without compromising with the merits which can never be compromised in the field of medicine it saidThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever